Lecture 2: Problem-solving tools

INDE 320: Work Measurement and Methods Engineering

Dr. Nadine Moacdieh
January 28, 2016

Adapted from Freivalds & Niebel (2013)

Chapters 1, 2
Course topics

1. Introduction 2. Problem- 3. Operations

and motivation solving tools analysis

6. Work
4. Work design 5. Time studies
sampling

7.
9. Uses of
Predetermined
standards
time system
 Work design and methods engineering

Identify problems Analyze collected Explain proposed Establish fair time

involving cost, data to pinpoint method and standards
quality, and safety issues implement it

7.
2. Get and 4. Develop 5. Present 6. Develop
1. Select 3. Analyze Establish 8. Follow
present ideal and install job
project data time up
data method method analysis
standards

Record and Select best Inspect and Make sure

display the facts approach for each document all productivity and
for further operation aspects of the job quality are
analysis achieved
 Work design and methods engineering
Fish diagrams, Operation process chart, Worker and machine Time study, work sampling, Costing and
Gantt chart, flow process chart, flow relationships, operations predetermined time wage
worksite diagram, worker and analysis (Chapters 2, 3, 4, systems (Chapters 10, 11, incentives
analysis guide machine process charts 5, 6) 13, 14) (Chapters 16,
(Chapter 2) (Chapter 2) 17)

7.
2. Get and 4. Develop 5. Present 6. Develop
1. Select 3. Analyze Establish 8. Follow
present ideal and install job
project data time up
data method method analysis
standards
Exploratory tools
• Fish (or fishbone) diagrams
• Gantt chart
• Worksite analysis guide
Fish diagrams
• Identify root and contributing causes of a problem
Fish diagrams
• How to create a fish diagram
– Place the problem at the “head”
– Identify the main causes (typically: human, machine,
methods, materials, environmental, administrative)
– Identify the subcauses by brainstorming
– Find the root cause(s) of the problem
Gantt chart
• Outline schedule of activities
Worksite analysis guide
• Identify problems within a particular worksite
• Need to walk through worksite and observe
workers
• Can guide the analyst before using more
quantitative tools
Worksite analysis guide
 Work design and methods engineering
Fish diagrams, Operation process chart, Worker and machine Time study, work sampling, Costing and
Gantt chart, flow process chart, flow relationships, operations predetermined time wage
worksite diagram, worker and analysis (Chapters 2, 3, 4, systems (Chapters 10, 11, incentives
analysis guide machine process charts 5, 6) 13, 14) (Chapters 16,
(Chapter 2) (Chapter 2) 17)

7.
2. Get and 4. Develop 5. Present 6. Develop
1. Select 3. Analyze Establish 8. Follow
present ideal and install job
project data time up
data method method analysis
standards
Recording and analysis tools
• Operation process chart
• Flow process chart
• Flow diagram
• Worker and machine process chart
Operation process chart
• Chronological sequence of all operations,
inspections, time allowances, and materials
– Circles denote operations, squares denote inspections
– Vertical lines: general flow
– Horizontal lines: materials
– Lines should not cross
Operation process chart
Flow process chart
• More detail than operation process charts
• Valuable in detecting non-production hidden costs
• Two types of flow process charts:
– Product (or material)
– Operative (or person)
Flow process chart
Flow process chart
Flow process chart
Example 1a
Example 1b
Flow diagram
• Pictorial plan of the flow of work
• Identify backtracking and possible congestion areas
Flow diagram
• Pictorial plan of the flow of work
• Identify backtracking and possible congestion areas

Adapted from Armstrong (2010)

Worker and machine process chart
• Analyze and improve one workstation at a time
• Justify machine coupling: one employee operates
more than one machine
• Shows where both the machine and worker are idle
Worker and machine process chart
 Work design and methods engineering
Fish diagrams, Operation process chart, Worker and machine Time study, work sampling, Costing and
Gantt chart, flow process chart, flow relationships, operations predetermined time wage
worksite diagram, worker and analysis (Chapters 2, 3, 4, systems (Chapters 10, 11, incentives
analysis guide machine process charts 5, 6) 13, 14) (Chapters 16,
(Chapter 2) (Chapter 2) 17)

7.
2. Get and 4. Develop 5. Present 6. Develop
1. Select 3. Analyze Establish 8. Follow
present ideal and install job
project data time up
data method method analysis
standards
Method improvement tools
• Optimize the worker-machine relationships:
– Synchronous servicing
– Random servicing
– Complex relationships
– Line balancing
Synchronous servicing
• Operator service time and machine run time are
constant and known
• Ideal case: no idle time
Example 2
Synchronous servicing
• Under realistic conditions, additional worker time
needs to be accounted for
• 𝑛1 is the number of assigned machines

• The cycle time for the operator is 𝑙 + 𝑚

Synchronous servicing
• Compute the total expected cost (𝑇𝐸𝐶) with 𝑛1
Synchronous servicing
• After calculating , 𝑇𝐸𝐶𝑛1 calculate 𝑇𝐸𝐶𝑛2 , the
expected cost with 𝑛2 machines (𝑛2 = 𝑛1 + 1)
• Cycle time now: (𝑛1 + 1)(𝑙 + 𝑤)

• Lowest 𝑇𝐸𝐶 determines whether to select 𝑛1 or 𝑛2

Example 3